^{This unit was developed by Norbertas Černiauskas   Bibliography   Didactic Comments}

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Education, built according to the western model, first appeared in Lithuania soon after Lithuania’s christening in 1387. Historical sources present information that shows that the first school was functioning in Vilnius within ten years of Lithuania’s conversion to Christianity. Nevertheless, abundance of education in Lithuania can not be dated to earlier than the beginning of the 16^th century. This remarkable leap occurred for several reasons. First of all it was affected by the increase of Grand Duke’s chancery. Secondly, Vilnius, as capital of the state, developed economical and commercial terms, and this situation created a demand for written communication. Thirdly, a citizenry arose in Vilnius, and it had an impact on many cultural processes. Finally, in the beginning of the 16^th century Vilnius had become the center of various ethnic and confessional groups, and this diversity stimulated cultural interchange.

In 1513 the magistrate of Vilnius founded the modern school for citizens’ children. This school developed remarkably during the years when it was managed by the eminent lawyer Petrus Roysius. The city also had another school, established at the Vilnius Cathedral.

The Reformation and the Counterreformation played the most important role in the development of the educational system, however. From 1539-1542 there was a school in Vilnius, founded by the prominent humanist Abraomas Kulvietis. Despite restrictions on non-catholic schools at the end of the 16^th century, Evangelical Reformist as well as Provoslav colleges also opened and the Jesuitical Vilnius College was founded as a response to the vast activity of the protestants. In 1579, Vilnius college obtained status  as an academy and university. This event was important not only for Vilnius and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (GDL), but also for the whole region of Middle Eastern Europe. Not only native students studied at Vilnius University, but also students from Poland, Scandinavia, Germany, England, Italy and even Spain and Portugal. At the end of the 16^th century there were more than 800 students at the Vilnius Academy. The academy also had a library and printing house.

The press also played an important role in the spread of knowledge and education. Although the first printing house in Vilnius wasn’t founded until 1519, by the end of the century Vilnius had became one of the biggest printing centers not only in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, but in the whole of Eastern Europe. Books were printed for various ethnic and confessional groups.

Vilnius also boasted of the largest libraries of the GDL, whose inventories were collected by the gentry as well as by the public and cultural personalities. It is known, that the Grand Duke Sigismundus Augustus collected more than four thousand books. Books were also quite popular among ordinary citizens.

It could be pointed out, that in the 16^th century Vilnius became one of the most notable centers of European culture in Eastern Europe.

Definitions

Petrus Roysius (1505- 1571): A famous Spanish humanist, lawyer and poet. 1551 -1571 worked in Vilnius, contributed to the foundation of Vilnius College.

Abraomas Kulvietis (1510 – 1545): A famous GDL cultural character, writer, and protestant.

Ethnic Group: A historically formed group of people, which share a common origin, language, culture and religion.

Chancery of the Grand Duke: One of the most important institutions in the GDL. This institution was responsible for the Estate of the Grand Duke. It also maintained executive power as the Great Chancellor kept the official seal of the Grand Duke (and later – the official seal of the king).